The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap 2011 - Traditional Cookies from Santorini Island

I don't know why I didn't prepare my post on time and now I'm one day late on posting my cookies recipe for the Great Food Bloggers Cookie Swap.. Congratulations to Julie and Lindsay who organize this event and thank you girls for giving us a time frame for posting until December 14...
I am still excited about this cookie swap, I received 3 dozens of awesome cookies from 3 different bloggers of Canada!
I've sent 3 dozens of Traditional Cookies form Santorini Island, filled with chewy soft Pasteli ( honey, sesame seeds, almonds, cinnamon and glove) to 3 other bloggers in Canada!
I have sent my cookies early so I didn't choose a Christmas decoration - packaging.. I chose a picture of a painting about Santorini Island... Anyway I think that when my matches opened their cookie box, their kitchen did smell like Christmas..

My matches were
1. Heather - New House, New Home, New Life
2. Sarah - West Wellington Veggie
3. Laura - Food.Love.Happiness

I really hope you liked these traditional Greek cookies Girls!

First thing is first so lets see the cookies I received and they totally brighten my day!

Stephanie One Gorgeous girl
Stephanie sent me her beautiful festive star sugar cookies inside a lovely christmas box with a Christmas Card!
Oh boy, it was such a pleasant site! My son absolutely loved her cookies, I had to hide them from him... Sorry Steph, I had to..

Callie Callieflower Kitchen
Callie sent me delicious Double Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies that I really enjoyed with my morning tea.. They came just in time! My husband and I loved them ( my 3 years old son doesn't understand the mint power yet..)

Clarissa Thought Provoked Creation
Clarissa and her friend Brianna sent me the wonderful "Friendship Cookies" made with Organic Chocolate Mix with White Chocolate Chips! They were absolutely delicious!

Thank you so much Stephanie, Callie, Clarissa and Brianna for sending me these awesome cookies!

Traditional Santorini Cookies - Filled with soft Pasteli (honey, sesame seeds, almond, cinnamon and glove)

Ingredients (For 40 pinwheel cookies)

250 gr butter
250 granulated sugar
4 eggs
the juice of 2 oranges
Zest of a lemon
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground glove
1 teaspoon bakin powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup grand marnier - cognac
500 - 600 gr all purpose flour

For the filling

250 gr sesame seeds
300 gr thyme honey
70 gr ground almond
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground glove
1 egg white beaten

Diretions

Put the butter and sugar in a bowl and using an electric mixer set on a medium speed, beat together until fluffy. Gradually add the eggs, orange juice, zest of a lemon, cinnamon and glove. Beat until smooth.
Measure the flour into a large sifter. Add baking soda, baking powder and gradually sift the flour mixture into the egg-butter mixture. Remove the dough from the bowl and lay it on a floured surface. Knead the dough for a while and put in the freezer until you start making your cookies.

Using a bowl, add the sesame seeds, honey, almond, cinnamon, glove and beaten egg white. Toss them all together and set aside.

Take a small portion from the dough and form a little ball. Knead it against a floured surface and roll it into 5 inch lengths about as thick as 2 pencils. Press with your finger to make strips and fill them with 1 teaspoon of the filling.